Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a multi-stage transmission for a vehicle and, more particularly, to a multi-stage transmission able to realize highest possible number of shifting stages using fewer parts and simple configuration, thereby improving fuel efficiency of a vehicle.
Description of Related Art
Recent rising oil prices have driven worldwide car manufacturers into unlimited competition to improve fuel efficiency. In addition, great efforts have been made to reduce the weight and improve the fuel efficiency of engines based on a variety of techniques such as downsizing.
Meanwhile, among methods that can be sought for transmissions equipped in vehicles to improve fuel efficiency, there is a method allowing an engine to operate at more efficient operation points using the multi-staging of a transmission, thereby ultimately improving the fuel efficiency.
Further, such a multi-staging of a transmission allows an engine to be operated in a relatively low RPM (revolutions per minute) range, thereby further improving the quietness of a vehicle.
However, as the number of shifting stages of a transmission increases, the number of internal parts constituting the transmission also increases. This may lead to undesirable effects instead, such as the reduced mountability and transfer efficiency and the increased cost and weight of the transmission. Therefore, in order to maximize the effect of the improved fuel efficiency using the multi-staging of a transmission, it is important to devise a transmission structure able to realize maximum efficiency using a smalle number of parts and a relatively simple configuration.
The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention.